Each book in the Pro Sports Championships series offers an overview of the sport as well as a closer look at its culminating event. Following a general introduction, a series of double-page spreads presents topics such as the sport's history; its basic rules; its equipment; and its court, course, or other field of play. Additional topics include women in the sport, historical highlights, notable players, and famous firsts. The numerous clear, colorful photos, often showing players in action, will draw readers. Diagrams are large and well labeled. NASCAR Sprint Cup explains the series of races and system of points enabling a driver to qualify for "the Chase" and potentially win the Sprint Cup. Previously titled Sporting Championships, the series has been updated somewhat, with changes in the texts, charts, and time lines. Nearly all the photos are new to these volumes. Still, without ample budgets, libraries owning the 2008 10 volumes may decide to keep those editions on hand.

CHO, Alan . World Series . ISBN 978-1-61913-063-0 ; ISBN 978-1-61913-625-0 . LC 2012021993. DE MEDEIROS, Michael . NBA . ISBN 978-1-61913-060-9 ; ISBN 978-1-61913-622-9 . LC 2012021768. HOWSE, Jennifer . NASCAR Sprint Cup . ISBN 978-1-61913-616-8 ; ISBN 978-1-61913-618-2 . LC 2012021767. WEBSTER, Christine . The Masters . ISBN 978-1-61913-617-5 ; ISBN 978-1-61913-619-9 . LC 2012021991. WHITFIELD, David . World Cup . ISBN 978-1-61913-062-3 ; ISBN 978-1-61913-624-3 . LC 2012021992. ea vol: 32p. (Pro Sports Championships Series). charts. diags. map. photos. chron. glossary. index. websites. CIP. Weigl. 2012. PLB $28.55; pap. $13.95. Gr 4-6 Constructed on such a rigid framework that all volumes have entries on women in their respective sports, even though all but the NASCAR races are men-only, these portraits of championship competitions and games offer fans and non-fans alike generous quantities of background information. This includes not only historical developments and highlights, but also labeled views of playing fields and competition sites, discussions of basic rules of play, official equipment descriptions, sections on "Famous Firsts," galleries of legendary stars, maps, quizzes, and even, on a dedicated website, multimedia material. A mix of labeled images and action photos provides information and visual energy.